Leadership is for me a real passion and interest in life.
One of the many, many tasks that come with being a leader is inspiring the people around you and get them to follow you.
Today I spent around an hour listening to James Timpson, who is a british businessman.
He is the CEO of the retail-company Timpson.
Culture
Great leaders don´t tell you what to do. They show you how it´s done.
A fantastic saying that fits well into this person, and also with my own ideas about leadership.
Timpson wants to have innovative and creative collegues (not staff, but collegues, very important).
Therefore he doesn´t have a bunch of rules that will hold them back.
He truly believes that if people are being shown confidence and trust, they want to perform for you in return.
Not all about the money
Timpsons is not the kind of company that pays the best salarys in the world.
But they know the prize that people put on LOVING your job and the culture that has been created.
Other rewards like the following comes with the job:
- Having an extra day off when you have a kid.
- Having a day off when it´s your kid’s first day at school.
- If you get married they provide you with a wedding car and a driver.
Getting rewards in your personal life will make you feel better when you´re at work in their opinion.
And let´s be honest, if you get something from someone. You probably want to pay it back double.
Simple and logical for most people.
Helping other people builds trust and relationships. In the long term you will benefit from it.
This is what separates a GREAT culture from a good culture.
Making sure you keep a good relationship, even when you expect nothing in return.
If I have a friend that I only call when I need help with something, how long is that friendship gonna last?
My friend will probably be fed up sooner or later.
But if I take an interest in that friends life and give him or her a call to ask how everything is, would that change this persons willingness to keep a relationship with me?
Something to think about..
Investing wisely
When people are given rules, they want to rebel.
When people are given trust, they want to perform and give back.
James Timpson states that his three non-negotiable behaviours are kindness, positiveness and that you are motivated by our other stuff than money.
Focusing on behaviours and trigger points will earn yourself money in the end.
